We are currently in a series called Real Friends.

Sometimes in our friendships, we do thing that we regret.

We say things we wish we could take back.

What should we do in those situations?

One of my favorite Bible verses says,

"Don't be selfish and try to impress others.

Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself."

I believe the best way to maintain a long lasting friendship

is to learn to be humble.

Let's listen to today's story.

At a private girls high school,

three students were chatting in the hallway between classes.

One of the students was Stacy,

a very bright and considerate young girl.

As she talked with two other popular students,

they said something that surprised Stacy.

"Did you hear what Lisa said about you?"

Stacy thought to herself, "Lisa is one of my best friends.

What could she possibly be saying about me?"

"We heard that Lisa thinks you have been bragging lately

about your high test scores."

"Someone said Lisa thinks you are turning into a real nerd."

Both girls stared at Stacy to watch her reaction.

Stacy immediately grabbed her backpack

and ran down the stairs to the school exit.

Stacy was steaming on the long bus ride home.

She kept imagining Lisa spreading these hurtful words

to her classmates.

Stacy knew that she had never bragged about her test scores.

"Why was Lisa saying such things?", she wondered.

That night, in her anger,

Stacy wrote a message on Lisa's Facebook wall,

"Dear Lisa, Don't bother calling me anymore.

If you have something to say to me,

say it to my face, not behind my back!"

Later that evening,

Lisa saw the comment that Stacy had written on her wall.

She was shocked and confused.

"I've never said anything bad about Stacy" she thought.

"Why would she say that?"

Lisa was now feeling upset too.

Lisa quickly wrote back, "What are talking about?

I didn't say those things! I thought we were friends."

Before bedtime, Stacy checked Facebook again.

As she read Lisa's response,

her anger turned to guilt and embarrassment.

In her anger, Stacy had reacted without thinking.

Instead of first asking Lisa about the situation,

she said something on Facebook that she wished she could take back.

But it was too late. She had already hurt Lisa with her comments.

And worst of all, her whole class had seen the message too!

How would she face Lisa the next day?

What would she say?

The next day after school, Stacy finally got up the nerve to face Lisa.

Stacy gently grabbed her arm and asked if they could chat a moment.

They sat down on a bench in the outdoor flower garden.

Stacy slowly began to apologize.

"Lisa, I am so sorry.

Yesterday when those girls said you called me a nerd, I got mad.

I reacted without even thinking. My feelings were hurt.

I don't know why I didn't come to your first.

I can't believe how I acted.

Now I have made the situation even worse!

I feel so ashamed."

Lisa, trying to see at the situation from Stacy's perspective,

put down her own pride and said,

"Stacy, you know I would never say those things about you.

You shouldn't believe everything you hear.

Why didn't you just ask me about it?"

Stacy said, " I know. I should have come to you first.

Will you please forgive me?"

Lisa smiled and said. "Of course I do!"

Then the girls gave each other a big hug.